The Arrow - Gotham Chronicles
by goNxH
Summary: His last mission before Waller dropped him where she found him. A mission he failed. Now his past is back - and it gives Oliver a way to fight back Ra's Al Ghul.
1. Chapter 1

**My newest try on a story. I started with the story before "The Offer", but I might include some of the newer developments. **

**The story is kind of a Crossover with Gotham (though you don't need to know it), but it's not really, because it's set after the events of Gotham, so I'm not sure if I should put it down as a crossover. Maybe tell me what you think?**

**I hope you enjoy it.**

**I don't own Arrow (or Gotham or Batman or anyone, really).**

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**Arrow – Gotham Chronicles**

"How's married life treating you so far?"

Diggle laughs loudly at his friend's question, "Oliver, it's barely been two hours. Ask me in a week."

Oliver gives him an honest smile. After what they had been through over the past weeks, Digg deserves the best day of his life to be calm and beautiful – like the weather. He really hopes nothing will happen to ruin this day for his friend.

"How are you holding up?" Diggle asks and nods in the direction of the dance floor.

Oliver tenses when his eyes fall on the blonde woman currently being twirled by the tall dark man. It's like a knife to his heart whenever he sees them together. Just like the first time. But he wants her to be happy – and she looks happy.

"It can't be easy seeing her with him." Diggle said compassionately.

Oliver averts his gaze and chooses instead to look at the happy, glowing bride fussing over her daughter at the table with Roy and Laurel watching from the side-line. "She made her choice and she deserves to be happy. That's not something I can ever give her."

Diggle takes a breath, but refrains from saying anything. He's been blindsided by Felicity's choice to be with Ray. Sure he saw the expression on her face back then in the foundry, understood her refusal to accept dying alone– still he had thought Oliver and Felicity eventually would figure it out. But Oliver won't make a move now that she's taken (he understands that – not because he necessarily agrees, but because he knows how Oliver regards himself and how he sees himself in comparison to Ray Palmer). Felicity seems happy, even Digg can see that. Oliver is miserable.

"It's a beautiful wedding," Oliver comments in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Diggle grins, "I wasn't allowed to make a single choice regarding this wedding. Apparently I stroke out at being qualified after commenting that the blue bridesmaid dresses were perfectly fine. I'm still not sure where I went wrong there. So Lyla deserves all the credit."

Oliver nods curtly, though Diggle can see the frown in his eyes that isn't expressed in his face.

"You're worried about the many windows, aren't you?" Diggle shakes his head. "You need to learn to relax, Oliver. Half of ARGUS is here; I don't think there's a place with better security in all of Starling."

Oliver gives a tight smile. The fact that ARGUS is watching doesn't gives him reason to relax.

"Another drink?" Digg offers from the side and Oliver nods.

They are halfway to the open bar when the window comes crashing down. The man that comes flying thought hits the ground hard and groans in pain – one of the ARGUS-Agents stationed outside.

Oliver tenses up and focuses his attention on his surroundings. His hands automatically miss the arrow in them and his eyes take in the surroundings. Every potential weapon is categorized (either for him to use or to be used against him). The room is full of ARGUS Agents, but the amounts of weapons drawn do little to appease him. Something's wrong but he can't quite put his fingers on it.

For a few seconds nothing happens then the man on the ground manages to get a hold of his weapon. He sits up with a groan, but instead of directing it to the open window like everyone else, Oliver finds the gun directed at his head. Digg tackles him to the ground before he can move, but the shot never comes. Out of the corner of his eyes (he's falling so maybe he's imagining it) he sees a whip – sharp and precise as he remembers it – ripping the gun from the agents hand.

"Weapons down," Amanda Waller commands sharply and catches Oliver's eyes for less than a second.

Diggle sits up confused. He could've sworn Oliver just let out a relieved breath. Indeed it seems as if the tension left Oliver's body and the hard look on his face was replaced by some half smirk.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What an oversight on your part, Miss Waller," the shadow figure jumps from the windows hill down to the venue with simple elegance. Agile – like a cat. "Not realising that one of your guards holds a special grudge against…" she smirks at Oliver, "Mr. Queen here."

"What's going on?" Ray whispers confused to Felicity. "Why are there even guards here? What kind of wedding is that?"

She shifts uncomfortably and gives a noncommittal smile, "I wonder."

"Cat," Oliver mumbles so lowly not even Diggle is sure he heard him right and Oliver has to try to keep the smile from his face.

"Who?" Diggle asks blankly.

He and Oliver get up from the floor and Digg dust off his clothes as good as possible. Why couldn't he simply have a normal, regular, boring wedding?

"What do you want here?" Amanda Waller stalks up to the woman and tries to stare her down. Not very effective it appears as the woman towers over her (might be the shoes with heels high, thin and sharp as a weapon – she can use them as such, Oliver knows).

The stranger is dressed all in black, a skin-tight cat suit that accents every curve of her body, a mask hides her face leaving only her eyes and the lower part of her face visible. But what stands out prominently are the animal ears that adore her mask.

"That's Catwoman!" Roy half-whispers, half-shouts exited. "Oh my god, that's Catwoman. I can't believe it. This is the coolest thing that ever happened to me."

Felicity rolls her eyes – there we have Arsenal, risking his life on a daily basis helping the Arrow to keep the city safe, just as much of a hero as the archer himself – and he wets himself over a burglar cat. Maybe it's the knock-out body, Felicity thinks, and she refuses to acknowledge that tiny part of envy in her. What truly baffles her however is Oliver's unconcerned stance regarding the woman. She expected him ready for attack at the unknown situation (or woman), but if she's honest he might even look… happy or in the very least surprisingly pleased at the appearance of the masked thief. They know each other, Felicity realises.

Diggle comes to the same conclusion and steps slightly back to give Oliver space to breath. He still wishes he had his weapon (_"It's our wedding, John. You won't need a gun and how would it look. I'm not going to wear mine." _Well, look how that worked out, Lyla.)

"Now, Mr. Queen," Catwoman purrs in a voice that makes even Felicity shiver. Her voice alone would make men fall at her feet. "Don't I deserve a reward for saving your life?"

Oliver's eyes narrow but he makes no move to step back from the slowly but steadily approaching burglar. Diggle tenses his muscles but Oliver doesn't look alarmed, so he allows her to reach him.

Then her fingers wrap around his tie and she's pulling him in for a kiss. Felicity can feel the crackle in the air all the way to where she's still cowering on the floor, being held by Ray. And she can't fight the part of her that hurts at seeing Oliver with another woman.

Roy makes an open sound of shock while Diggle manages to handle his surprise in a more dignified though no less flabbergasted way – he simply stares at his (former) boss being "assaulted" by a renowned thief.

Cat lets go of him and Oliver fights the urge to roll his eyes at her. She gives him a wink and takes a step back, then she runs-up to take the exit out of the window in a way that looks way more elegant than it should be, considering the height of the window. Everyone who doesn't understand where her nickname Catwoman comes from certainly does now. She climbs out of it with a jump, leaving a speechless wedding party in her wake.

"Well, it's not truly a wedding unless some masked individual makes an appearance," Lyla notes dryly and sips at her drink while walking up to her husband. She still nursing, so it's only orange juice and therefore completely inadequate for processing recent events. Digg assesses her quickly and finds no signs of harm on her. He turns to Oliver just in time to catch him pulling something out of his mouth. His eyes widen slightly and Oliver sees the question in his eyes, he opens his palm and Digg frowns.

"She gave you a key?" Then something bigger occurs to him, "Wait, you know her! How? When? You know Catwoman? Are you kidding me?" Most of his outrage is due to the fact that he hasn't heard of that yet.

"I got to go," Oliver ignores the question. "Any chance you can cover for me?"

Diggle gives him a nod. And Lyla grins, "Sure thing, but only if we get to hear the whole story later."

"Sorry about your wedding."

"Nah, Lyla's right. What's a wedding without some action? We'd be bored to death otherwise. Now this party will be talked about in years."

Digg stops him at the elbow as he walks past, "But Oliver. I expect an explanation later."

Oliver smirks and slips out, leaving the chaos that followed Catwoman's departure.

**Arrow**

_"The mission is simply, really." _

_He starts to really hate Amanda Waller's voice. It was a deal with the devil, but one he had to make to ensure his friends safety. In exchange for his "continued willingness to assist in national security matters" Amanda Waller let Maseo and Tatsu live their life in peace and released Maseo from her service. After what happened Akio… they deserved at least that._

_He'd spent some time in Russia for her first. His – to him so far unknown – connection to the Bratva caused Waller to offer him this deal in the first place. He'd risen the ranks fairly quickly and it wasn't long before Anatoly made him Captain. Compared to Waller and ARGUS, his time in Bratva seemed like a nice walk in the park – and it was the Russian mafia, a feared and terrifying brotherhood based on unquestioned loyalty. Yet Amanda Waller and her indifference to lives (especially his) made them seem the more harmless option._

_Death no longer scares him like it used to, if she wants to kill him… he's only going to regret not being able to fulfil his father's last wish. And he promises himself (he has done so more times than he can count) – if he makes it home, if he survives this – he will stop at nothing to life up to his father's expectations._

_Waller's sharp voice brings him out of his thoughts, "You'll work with a partner on this one. She's a… mercenary, we require her services. Do not trust her, Mr. Queen."_

_"Got it. If you'd kindly tell me what I actually have to do," Oliver retorts impatiently._

_"You are to watch her and make sure she does as she is told. We cannot trust her, but we have no choice in the matter. There's no one else as good as her."_

_He doesn't like the sound of that, but then he never did and it's not like he has a choice._

_Waller hands him the file and Oliver flips it open. His eyes widen at the sight. ___ It's only a shot of her face, but t_he woman in the picture is absolutely stunning. She has short curly hair, it's of a vibrant brown, but it's her face that gets to him. Her heart-shaped face is probaly one of the most beautifuls things he's ever seen with a perfectly straight and small nose and a plump mouth. Her eyes are big, of a deep green. They give her an intelligent look, a dangerour aura - she's beautiful._

"_Quite a looker, isn't she?" Waller eyes him suspiciously. "Her name is Selena Kyle."_

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**Tell me what you think!  
**

…


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own Arrow (or any of the mentioned super-heroes or villains.)**

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**Arrow - Gotham Chronicles**

"Did you have to make such a drama of your entrance?" Oliver rolls his eyes at the woman leaning relaxed against a bike. Night has barely fallen, the last rays of daylight still cling to the sky. She has not dropped the mask or abandoned the tight leather cat-suit.

She raises an eyebrow over her intense green eyes. "It's like you don't know me, Oliver."

"You could have just given me the key. It's not like the show was necessary," he pointed out. Then he frowned, "What's the key for anyway?"

She nods her head to the side and Oliver sees the outline of a second bike half hidden in the next alley.

"But I'm not taking you like that," Cat states and gives him an unimpressed look – her eyes scrutinizing his form from head to toe.

Oliver shakes his head and turns. It's not long until he reappears in his Arrow Suit to find her in the same position than before. It smarter actually, because whatever she has planned is most likely not something Oliver Queen would be involved in.

"Where are we going?" he asks and takes the helmet she offers him.

Cat lifts one corner of her mouth, "Gotham."

**Arrow**

"Seriously?" Roy raises both his eyebrows and looks around the room to check for unwanted eavesdroppers. "None of you is going to comment on Oliver and… you know, Catwoman? I mean, they know each other, right? Does that mean Oliver knows who Batman is, because I heard that Catwoman and Batman work together sometimes?"

Lyla chuckles at his barely hidden enthusiasm, "I don't know if he knows who Batman is, but I do know that he knows Catwoman."

"You know who she is?" Roy asks with wide eyes. "Who is she?"

"Sorry, can't tell. It's confidential. But he certainly met her during his five years absence," she reveals with a wink.

"Of course he does," Felicity hisses. "He probably met her on Paradise Island along with all the other incredibly attractive women that even seem to flock him even when he's stranded on an abandoned island."

Laurel looks at her in surprise but doesn't comment. Her brows furrow together, because sure, Laurel is over Oliver, but shouldn't she be the one acting jealous (technically he was still her boyfriend at that time). She knows there's something between Oliver and Felicity but after Felicity started dating Ray Palmer Laurel had assumed it was one-sided (from Oliver's side) at best.

"Well, I for one am positive that he did not meet her on 'Paradise Island'," Lyla explains and smiles at Felicity.

"And even if he had, it's not like he dated anyone…" Roy stops when Laurel makes a choked sound. "Ok, fine, maybe he did, but he's not dating anyone right now. So, Catwoman's fair game. And she's fine, so who can blame him?"

Felicity glares daggers at him to which Roy only shrugs and mentions behind her, where Ray is making his way towards them. She heads for him, before he catches a word of their conversation.

"So, he met her when he was working for ARGUS?" John inquires and his wife gives him a calculating look.

"I can't tell you the details. All I know is that they worked together."

"Did they… I mean…" Roy asks with barely contained interest. Thea groans but doesn't move away, clearly curiosity is winning the game against being grossed out by her brother's sexual escapades.

"You seem strangely obsessed with Oliver's sex life," Laurel points out with an interested look at Roy.

"No! It's just - The Arrow and Catwoman… it does have a ring to it," Roy defends.

"I don't know about that. If they did have a physical relationship, it didn't interfere with their mission because if it had, Waller would have mentioned it in her report," Lyla says (she doesn't say that the mission failed because that's confidential) before raising her glass of champagne to some people across the room. She sighs and mutters something about having to explain some things to some people before she drags Digg with her to talk to them.

"What do you think? About Oliver and Catwoman?"

"Roy, why would I care, what Oliver does or doesn't do?" Laurel sips her water and shrugs. "As you said he's a free man."

Roy doesn't look convinced but lets it go. Thea grips his arm, "Roy, will you please let it go?"

**Arrow**

"Where did Queen go? I haven't seen him since he got… sprung on by that woman. Though I don't see him being unhappy about that," Ray cranes his head to catch a glimpse of Oliver.

Felicity manages a tight smile, "I believe he said, that he had enough and wanted to take his leave."

"Ah, too bad. But a smart move, I suppose," Ray sighs and his yearning look is replaced by disappointment. "Everybody would have ambushed him about the kiss."

"As opposed to what you had planned?" Felicity asks with a laugh.

He shifts (caught red handed right there) and gives her a boyish grin. "I would have been very charming about it."

"Undoubtedly," Felicity agrees.

Ray smiles down at her and she smiles back. "How about I take you for another dance?"

**Arrow**

"_She's a thief?"_

"_The very best," Waller confirms. "But she cannot be trusted." She repeats again (like he's some imbecile that didn't hear her the first ten times she mentioned it)._

"_Why now? What's wrong? Can't find an incentive to blackmail her to work for you?" the irritation works itself to the front but Oliver doesn't back down at Waller's icy glare._

"_No, as a matter of fact, we can't – she has no pressure points to be exploited. She cares about no one and nothing but herself – and money."_

_It sounds like a very sad life, Oliver thinks. Then again he has no pity to waste on anyone._

"_It says here, that she gives what she steals to charity," he points out nonetheless. "What is this, some Robin Hood affiliation?" He asks with irritation in his voice. _

"_Part of what she steals," Waller corrects. "Make no mistake. Her finances are well stocked." She looks like she might comment on his own "Robin Hood affiliation" with bow and arrow, but of course she wouldn't, since she's the ice woman and she doesn't make jokes._

"_And I'm supposed to be what? Her babysitter?"_

"_You, Mr. Queen, are supposed to keep an eye on her. At all time!" Waller presses a button. "Bring her in please."_

_She's not simply beautiful – it's the first thought that enters his mind. She's beyond beautiful, her dark curly hair is kept short, but it only highlights her fine boned face, big green eyes, sharp cheekbones and a lush mouth, her figure is flawless, slim yet curvy with legs that go on for miles and dressed all in tight black leather. It's just like in the picture only… now he can sense her aura. It's what sets her apart from other woman – he has seen hundreds of beautiful women, has been with his fair share of them. But nothing was like the air of pure sex, passion and danger that surrounds her. She's emitting it from every pore of her body and Oliver understands instantly how she makes the men fall for her like flies drawn to honey. _

_Her curious eyes take in the room and he can tell she's calculating possible exit strategies and assessing the weapons in the rooms. _

_Then her eyes fall on him and her lips stretch into a smile. It's not a genuine one, not one that makes him feel at ease - it's a devious one. _

"_Oliver Queen," she drawls. "I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you didn't perish in the middle of the ocean."_

_This elicits a smile from him. "Made it on your hit list for possible targets, didn't I, Miss Kyle?" he chuckles. _

_The file left him in no doubt about her usual prey of rich men and taking them for what they're worth._

"_Don't tell me you would have complained."_

"_Oh, I most certainly would have been a very willing victim."_

_She actually laughs at that. "Selena Kyle, nice to meet you Mr. Queen."_

"_Likewise Miss Kyle."_

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**Tell me what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to everyone reading this story. It's supposed to be Oliver centric and my take on the identy theme of the season.**

**at Guest: Thanks for reviewing. I don't really see anything happening between Amanda Waller and Oliver like... ever. She just seems too cold for that. **

**at superfly: Thanks for taking the time to review. Well, I love Roy! I think he - at least - brings in some form of humor and lightness.  
**

**I don't own Arrow (or any of the people mentioned beyond the line).**

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**Arrow - Gotham Chronicles  
**

"Wayne Manor?" Oliver stops at the side of the road causing Cat to turn her bike around.

She takes her helmet off and raises her brows. "What did you think where we're going?"

Daylight has already broken through the night. And Oliver is glad that Wayne Manor lays isolated in the outskirts of Gotham.

He shrugs before his face turns serious. "Bruce and me didn't exactly part on good term," he reminds her.

Her face becomes annoyed, "Oh, I remember. But Oliver, what Bruce and you disagreed on… you've changed your ways haven't you?"

Oliver sighs heavily.

"Oh, will you stop your pity party. I wouldn't take you to Wayne if he'd throw you out the minute we arrive," Cat puts her helmet back on swings her long legs over the bike. The motor roars and she leaves him standing in the dust.

He arrives only seconds after her, yet when he takes his helmet of Cat is nowhere in sight. How she manages to disappear on him (has from the start) will forever remain a mystery to him. The area around Wayne Manor is how he remembers it, vast and kept in perfect shape.

Indecisively Oliver stands in the huge gateway (Bruce must know he's here, because the gate had been open – then again it's Cat and she always finds a way in). He groans and chastises himself (he's not a scared boy) then sprints up the stairs to the door. The doorbell rings loudly, Oliver can hear it even standing outside.

"Mr. Queen," Alfred welcomes and if he's surprised by Oliver being here he doesn't show it. "I shall tell Master Wayne of your arrival. If you don't mind waiting here, please."

The butler leads him into the foyer, before he disappears up the stairs. It's like nothing changed in the house and for a second Oliver flashes back to when he first scouted the house. He had woken up upstairs – alone and disoriented, made his way down with a hook he found in front of the fire place in his room. He snuck around trying to find out where he was and when Bruce found him, Oliver had recklessly attacked him despite his wounds. Of course half of them had to be re-stitched.

The hall is still dominated by wood and a bit too dark for his taste and it reminds him of his former estate in the worst and the best way. The pictures on the wall are still the same. The most prominent being the one with a small boy standing between his parents. It's a heavy oil painting but it speaks of a time before all this started, before a ten year old boy had to witness his parent's murder for a few pearls and dollars. Before said boy became…

"Oliver?"

Oliver twists and finds Bruce coming down the stairs. If he ever wears something apart from a suit or his vigilante outfit, Oliver hasn't seen it. His face is painted in surprise (though it's not entirely unpleasant or hostile) – Bruce simply looks surprised to see him. Oliver shakes his head in exasperation and exhales.

"I suppose then Cat didn't inform you she'd bring me here?"

"Cat?" Bruce raises an eyebrow. "Of course she wouldn't."

"Does she live here now?" Oliver wonders out loud, because he realises the key to her bike rests dutifully in the bowl on a wooden table, with every other key. He can tell by the key chain – a small black knuckleduster, made only to fit maybe two fingers. Briefly he wonders why she'd put it in there in the first place, give her trust issues, but then again she doesn't really need keys.

Oliver follows Bruce down the hall and into the living room.

"Do you really think she'd ever be willing to do that?" Bruce asks back and Oliver thinks he hears some frustration in his tone. There's always been this pull between these two and for a second Oliver wants to know what happened between them since the last time he's seen them. He doubts however he'll get much of an answer.

"Scotch?" Bruce offers and Oliver nods. Darkness has fallen and the room is lit dimly by the indirect lamps on the wall and the raging fire in the fire place.

It's a familiar atmosphere and Oliver relaxes ever so slightly.

"So - I was glad to hear, you're not dead," Bruce starts and prompts a snort from Oliver.

"You're the only one, then."

Bruce looks up in surprise and hands him the Scotch. He sinks in the deep cushions of the armchair in front of the fireplace and motions Oliver to do the same.

"What do you mean?"

Oliver shakes his head and takes a sip. "Why am I here, Bruce?"

"I wonder," Bruce chuckles. "But then I always wonder what she's thinking. Tell me what happened? Where did you disappear to?"

"You mean recently or four years ago after you threw me out?"

"Recently," Bruce clarifies and ignores Oliver's words. Oliver takes it as a sign, that they have indeed reached a truce.

He isn't sure what prompts him to tell Bruce - maybe, because they are similar in such very different ways, because they were always able to understand the other – until their differences overshadowed their resemblances.

"Ra's Al Ghul…" Bruce takes a deep breath. "There was no way you could've beat him."

Oliver nods grimly, "Not like I had much of a choice."

"I suppose not," Bruce agrees thoughtfully. "You survived, though. It means you're strong – stronger than he anticipated."

"Yes, I survived."

"Doesn't sound like you're too happy about it," Bruce points out.

Oliver takes a deep breath and watches the brown liquid swirl in the heavy glass. "It's not that. I just… I feel like maybe it would've been better for everyone if I hadn't come back."

"I think you're wrong. Starling needs you. The town was at war while you were gone."

"They didn't need me, not really. They found a way to deal with the situation and I came back to… something that was unfamiliar and something that no longer needed me. Starling, my team, they don't need me. Maybe I should consider the offer."

"What offer?"

Oliver smirks at Bruce, "Haven't I mentioned? Apparently getting killed by Ra's once wasn't enough for me…"

Oliver continues his story, about Malcolm Merlyn's abduction (he doesn't mention the role Thea played) and how they were captured in Nanda Parbat.

Bruce regards him with a contemplative look on his face. "He offered you his place as Ra's Al Ghul? What did you say?"

"I told him that I refused, but – I'm not sure if perhaps I made the wrong choice. And according to… someone who knows him, there's a prophecy that whoever survives Ra's sword would become the new Ra's, that it wasn't an offer but rather an order."

Bruce barks a quiet, grim laugh, "Oh, I know trust me."

"How?"

"Because a year ago, he offered the same thing to me. Ever since I declined Gotham has been under constant attack from the League. Ra's doesn't handle rejection well," Bruce says darkly. "I never imagined he'd go that far, but then I have always been wrong about him."

Oliver blinks in astonishment. Something nags in the back of his mind, something Bruce told him once. Someone he described with similar words, "Wait… the man you told me about. The one who trained you and the one you said was not who you thought he was… Don't tell me that was…"

"Yes, Ra's Al Ghul. He taught me how to fight."

It takes a few sips of scotch for Oliver to digest that information. A million question run through his mind, but nothing that really matters. If he had known that before… maybe Bruce could have trained him, but Oliver isn't sure he would have dared to call in for a favour.

Finally Oliver decides to concentrate on what he can't explain – not even with what Ra's al Ghul told him, "Why me then? Why you? Nyssa is more than capable of the title." He adds with distaste in is voice.

"He's getting old, he must have told you has much. Ra's al Ghul is nothing but a mythos, not a person, but a name," Bruce repeats what Oliver already knows. "You've impressed him. That's why he offered you the deal. Not an easy feat to accomplish."

"But to strip his daughter of the title because of a prophecy or her relationship with Sara," Oliver shakes his head, neither of those things are a reason for denying his daughter something's she's earned.

"That's not the reason," Bruce interrupts firmly. "I said you impressed him. First, because you survived his blade. Second, because you came back after facing death. You didn't run – instead you came back to face it once again. I think that's something he admires, because it's a trait he prides himself in – he sees it in me as well." Bruce snorts, "It's a trait Nyssa shares."

He remembers his time in the League vividly – and the relationship between father and daughter. "But I think that's not the reason he offered the Demon Head to you, prophecy or not. Ra's values a lot of things, loyalty and strength, but also the ability to keep your emotions in check. You came to Nanda Parbat to save a man you hate. Your head won against your heart. Nyssa never quite managed to keep her heart in check. She's impulsive, emotional. That's not something the Demon Head has the liberty to allow himself or herself."

Oliver stays silent. He wouldn't have categorizes himself as being level-headed but he's learned not to let emotion stand in the way of reason. Lessons learned hard and paid in blood.

"You're still considering it – the offer," it's not a question. Bruce's gaze is like a knife drilling in his skull.

Oliver takes a deep breath. "I refused but since then things have changed. There's someone using The Arrow to murder and cause panic, the people of the city, the police - they start turning against me. And as Ra's I have a chance to… make a difference."

"It's not worth it. We fight our demons every day, Oliver - to become the head of them, is not the way to win the fight – it's a sure way to lose. It will cost you your soul."

"There's not much left of it anyway," Oliver stares unblinking into the fire.

Cat leans her head back against the cold concrete. The shadow of the roof hides her figure on the windowsill completely from view. She's just found her way to truly repay Oliver for what he did for her.

**Arrow**

"_So you're supposed to steal… whatever is in that box – which everyone refuses to tell me, very helpful by the way – and I'm just going to watch you do it?"_

"_If you're a good boy I might tell you what's inside," Cat jumps down elegantly from the counter and approaches him._

_When Waller told him he was supposed to watch her every move she meant it. They share a two room apartment – more luxurious than he'd have since this whole mess started but nothing compared to how he lived before the island. Her room is adjourned to his, so that he could check on her at night (not that he would, because seriously!). The place has a spacious living room and an open kitchen._

"_So Mr. Queen, we have the blueprints of the building so we could either start making a plan or we could get rid of the sexual tension because quite frankly I like sex and I hate working with such pressure around."_

_Oliver raises an eyebrow and watches her intently as she trails her hand up his chest and spreads her fingers over his heart._

"_But let's get one thing straight. I'm not actually interested in you. I just don't like having this," she grimaces, " tension hanging around. We do this one time and that's it. We're probably going to be awesome at it, well I know I will, but do try not to weep after me."_

"_What makes you think I'd want to sleep with you?" Oliver smirks._

_She looks with both eyebrows raised and then her gaze falls to his crotch._

"_Busted," Oliver grins and pulls her to him._

…

"So, exactly what does she think I'm supposed to do here?" Oliver wonders. He's been at Wayne Manor for two day and there hadn't been a sign of Cat since the day he.

Bruce chuckles and shrugs, "Hell, if I know. Maybe you've already found it."

"What?"

"Have you seen the news lately?" Bruce changes the subject. "There have been no heists… maybe she's left town for a while?"

Oliver groans, "No offense, but this vacation has been nice and all, but I truly think that perhaps it's time to take my leave."

Bruce contemplates him for a while. "Have you found an answer yet?"

"An answer to what?"

"Ra's al Ghul."

The blond heaves a deep sigh, "I don't know. But Bruce if I take his offer I could stop all this. Stop the havoc they wreck in this world – in your town."

"Oliver, you don't seriously think that, do you? Because then I could've taken the offer myself. It's going to eat you up, until there's nothing left of you. Ra's al Ghul has existed for a long time. Don't you assume some of them had motives as noble as yours?" he turns to his trusted butler and friend.

Alfred had stayed silent until now, and if Oliver didn't already know how Bruce worked, he would've found it highly peculiar that he turned to him for guidance.

"What do you think, Alfred?"

Oliver is strongly reminded of his relationship with Diggle – his trusted advisor and best friend.

Alfred clears his throat and regards Oliver with a cold look. Oliver is never sure, whether the man likes him or not.

"I believe Master Bruce is right. The things you'll have to do will prey on the light present in you, till only darkness prevails. You should not take such a risk, Master Queen."

Oliver averts his gaze from the older man and looks out of the window into the generous backyard. Ra's Al Ghul offered him the position because he knows what kind of darkness Oliver wears inside. Oliver knows that, but he had thought maybe he could somehow manage to hold on to his humanity – apparently he's the only one thinking that.

"Oliver, keep in mind that he offered the same thing to me," Bruce says tight lipped and Oliver realises that Bruce is facing the same knowledge. But Bruce has always been fundamentally different from him. He's never been a torturer of a killer.

* * *

**Tell me what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to everyone reviewing and reading the story.**

**I don't own Arrow or Batman or Catwoman or any of the people mentioned below.**

* * *

**Arrow - Gotham Chronicles**

"_A vigilante?" Oliver furrows his brows._

"_Yes, he's our main concern," Cat tells him and pops another chocolate bean in her mouth "Not the police or any security. But that guy." _

_They are canvassing the area around the high security building into which they are supposed to break in. Well – she is really, he'll just follow her. The building is an unassuming cement block, not even a sign to tell what's inside. It might as well be abandoned, since no one cared to remove the graffiti marring the building. _

"_It would be easier if you'd tell me what we're after," Oliver feels compelled to point out. _

"_You tell me," Cat shrugs. "They only told me what it looks like and where to get it. I suppose they trust me as much as you."_

_Oliver regards her from the side, "You've found out about it, didn't you?"_

"_No, but I will. It's simply a matter of finding the right person and using my… charm."_

_Oliver snorts but lets it go. "So, about that vigilante."_

"_They are calling him Batman."_

_Oliver splutters a laugh. "Are you serious?"_

"_Apparently he's got an affinity with them," Cat shrugs. "I've avoided him so far."_

"_He's a bigger concern than the police?" Oliver parks the car opposite of the building and they stay there. Cat brings up a map and they stick their heads together, it's a precaution in case someone wonders what they are doing here. Just two tourists getting lost in the middle of nowhere. _

_Cat gives a nod, "The police here is… corrupt – in big parts at least. It's gotten better since a new Commissioner has been in office. Gordon – he's cleaned up the force, but a lot of old influences and authorities are still at work. It depends really, the higher up you're in the criminal food chain, the more likely you are to walk free. Money and mob, that's what you need in Gotham."_

"_And the vigilante?"_

_Cat shrugs, "He's done good, I think. He's going after the criminals of this city, he apprehends them successfully as far as I can see, but then he gives them over to the police and depending how high they're up… Anyway, at least the street crime has gone down significantly. Muggers and rapist are more afraid now, but the organised crime hasn't taken a major hit."_

"_You think it would be better if he was more… ruthless?" Oliver wonders._

_Cat shakes her head, "No. I'm just stating facts. I don't mind him, as long as he stays out of my way."_

"_But you're worried?"_

"_This is a science building for chemical warfare – at least once you look past the façade… so whatever is in there, it's dangerous."_

"_I don't think ARGUS should have that," Oliver mumbles. Louder he adds, "What's the plan?"_

"_We're looking for someone with enough security clearance. Preferably male and straight, or female and gay, goes both ways really. I work my magic and find us a way in. Next thing you know, we'll walk out of there with that damned container in our hands," she explains simply._

"_Can't you just do a normal breaking and entering?"_

"_I could, but it's not my style." It's a lie, because if it was that simple everyone could do it and she would have already gotten that stupid container._

"_You realise I'm going to have to shadow you?"_

_She blinks innocently at him, "Don't you trust me."_

_Oliver gives an unimpressed stare. "I really, really don't."_

**Arrow**

"You're not a killer anymore either, from what I'm hearing," Bruce points out. He can tell by the pained look on Oliver's face that the other man is thinking back to this life. Back to when they had their differences. "But you're going to have to become one once again, if you take Ra's offer."

The flames dance and paint shadows over the darkening room. Oliver gazes into the fire. Alfred exchanges a worried look with Bruce. They can tell Oliver is more confused, more broken than last time they've seen him.

"How nice to see you getting along," Cat flops down head first from the ceiling.

Oliver jerks up, having been lost in thought. Bruce takes it slightly better (then again, he is more used to this kind of thing) but starts nonetheless. Both of them loose their tightened fists, once they realises it' only Cat.

"Where…? Nevermind," Bruce sighs and marvels at her ability to sneak up even on him. He doesn't know of anyone else who is able to do so.

"And it's nice seeing you're still around," Oliver tells her sharply. His annoyance drips from his words and Cat rolls her eyes at his glare.

"Would you like a drink, Miss Kyle?" Alfred asks from his position at the door and she sends him a brilliant smile that does little to thaw the ice in the butler's eyes.

"No, thank you, Alfred."

"What do you gain from bringing me here?" Oliver asks.

"Me? I gain nothing from it," Cat finds herself a nice spot on the armrest of Bruce's chair and Oliver wonders if the twitch in the other man's hand indicates a desire to touch her. She throws her long legs across the space and rests her heel on the table.

"Please, Miss Kyle," Alfred's pained voice causes the woman take her feet from the furniture.

"Selena," Bruce addresses her. Oliver wonders when he started calling her that, because she usually insists on her name being Cat. "Why did you bring Oliver here?"

"I thought it was high time the two of you resolved your differences, especially considering you're facing the same enemy."

"Ra's?"

"And you expect us to do what? Team up?" Bruce slowly catches on.

"Why not? Let Ra's Al Ghul know that if he messes with one of you, he messes with all of you. Gotham has enough problems without the League of Assassins and I suppose the same goes for Starling. Besides, if the attacks under the guise of the Arrow continue… "

"So, me taking the offer is no longer an option?" Oliver's gaze wanders from Bruce to Cat then to Alfred and back to Bruce. "Good, I just wanted to know we were clear on that," he says dryly.

"What do _you_ gain from that?" Bruce repeats Oliver's earlier question with suspicion.

Oliver watches as Cat tenses and her smile becomes a little more forced, "Repaying a depth. I don't like to owe people."

Her green eyes meet Oliver's blue ones and he refrains from telling her there's no debt she has to pay.

"You suggest they team up then," Alfred disrupts the tension. "I doubt Ra's Al Ghul will be intimidated by two vigilantes."

"Who says there only going to be two?" Cat challenges. "Don't tell me you two don't know anymore… heroes." She rolls her eyes at the last word, drawls it out with some sort of vaguely hidden distaste.

Oliver raises his head in surprise, "What are you saying?"

Cat shrugs, "The League of Assassins is a threat to more cities than just Gotham and Starling."

Oliver flashes to Diggle and Roy, to Barry and Laurel… not really an impressive number but with a Metahuman on their side, perhaps it could work.

Bruce's thoughts seem to go in a similar direction. Nightwing is still working with him from time to time and Kate Kane had taken on as Batwoman after his training.

The two share a look. "I doubt it will be much of an army," Bruce finally says.

"Maybe not, but really it depends on how you sell it," her eyes twinkle. And the men share another look.

**Arrow**

_She's gone… well, fuck! Oliver stares at the empty room in disbelief. _

_Sure everyone kept telling him not to trust her – hell he told himself not to trust her. And now she's disappeared - marking him a dead man. Amanda Waller would kill him no doubt. But at this point he hardly found a care for that._

_He doesn't usually check on her during the night because he figured that she wouldn't leave before the job was done. As far as he could tell, the only thing she really cared about was money – perhaps she had found a way in and decided to screw them over. Tonight though he had woken up with a full bladder and Oliver wasn't sure what compelled him but he had risked a glance in her room… to find Cat gone._

_He leaves the empty room and sinks onto his bed, his head rests in his hands and he wonders when he should call ARGUS and let them know about the situation. He could try to run, but considering the rather discouraging results from last time…_

_Oliver's head jerks up when the door to the adjourning room crashes open and there she stands in all her masked glory with black leather and wretches the mask from her face. _

"_I kissed Batman!" she blurts out without preamble and Oliver finds himself at loss for words._

"_What?"_

"_I kissed Batman!" she repeats with wide eyes and a hint of panic in her voice. Oliver had never seen her like that; truthfully he didn't think her capably of anything other than maintaining an air of ignorant nonchalance or seduction._

"_What do you mean you kissed Batman? The Batman? The vigilante?"_

"_Who else do we know that's called Batman?" _

_Oliver shakes his head, "And how exactly did this happen?"_

"_What do you mean, 'how did this happen'? I don't know it just did! It happened the normal way such things happen, you try to make a steal, a resident vigilante shows up, you fight and next thing you know, he's got you pressed against a wall and is kissing you senseless! It could happen to anyone," she ends in a rush and there's nothing left of her usual calm façade._

"_Sure, it could happen to anyone. I remember the last time it happened to me," he bits out sarcastically but can't keep the amusement off of his face. "Seriously, though why is this shaking you up so much? I mean it wasn't your first kiss."_

"_You don't say?" Cat calms down slowly. Her teeth rip her bottom lip apart. Oliver is right of course, a kiss shouldn't be able to shake her up – not like that. But honestly, that wasn't just a kiss – that was like an out-of-body experience. _

"_So you know who he is then?" Oliver changes the topic because he can tell, Cat's regained her posture and he won't get any more information._

"_No, why would I know that?"_

"_Does he know who you are?"_

"_Nope. Mask, remember?"_

_He stops fighting the amusement, "So you kissed a complete stranger, whose face you don't know and who doesn't know who you are?"_

"_Does that really surprise you?" _

_Oliver shakes his head. "Where have you been? You're not supposed to leave."_

_Cat shots him a disbelieving look, "You don't really expect me to stay put like a good girl? You should know that I'm as bad as they come." She purrs and Oliver rolls his eyes._

"_I mean it Cat, where were you?"_

"_Relax, Queen. It had nothing to do with ARGUS. I visited Don Maroni, he's the leader of one of the two mob houses that run this city. I knew he was out of town, so I figured now was a good time as ever."_

"_What was Batman doing there?" really the more he said his name the stupider it sounded. _

"_Your guess is as good as mine. I think, he might have been looking for incriminating evidence," Cat shrugged. _

_She marched over to the door in her majestic strides and then the door closed between them._

**Arrow**

Diggle reads quickly over the newspaper headlines that had been printed over the past weeks. The team had of course collected them all.

ARROW APPEARS IN GOTHAM: HAS THE STARLING VIGILATE SHWITCHED TOWN?

VIGILANTE TEAMUP – ARROW WORKS WITH BATMAN

WHAT'S THE ARROW DOING IN GOTHAM?

ARROW AND BATMAN TAKE DOWN WEAPON DEALER NETWORK

ARROWS FLY IN GOTHAM

WILL THE ARROW STAY IN GOTHAM?

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO STARLING? ARROW LEAVES TOWN PERMANENTLY?

"The recent team up of Starling's original vigilante The Arrow and Gotham's very own fighter for justice Batman has raised several questions. Will the Arrow stay in Gotham? What has brought on this alliance? Before the Arrow left town, there have been some rather negative headlines concerning him. Now voices are raised, that perhaps someone else acted as a Copycat, since the Arrow couldn't have been in Starling for some of the crimes he supposedly committed. The question remains however, did his disappearance in Starling have to do with the town's reaction towards…"

"Starling's criminals seem so far too confused to truly take advantage of the situation. Experts elucidate this apparent state of shock with the shared uncertainty regarding a change of scenery. Apparently they are unsure if perhaps Batman will return the favour and pay Starling a visit in the near future. And of course the recent explosion of the death rate, which was originally attributed to the Arrow. However that is questionable. Additionally Starling has not been vigilante-less. The woman in black – witnesses refer to her as The Black Canary and Arrow's trusted partner Arsenal have kept the criminals on their toes. There are also reports of sightings of a flying man in a robotic suit. These claims are so far unconfirmed however…."

"...news about the Arrow. Gotham PD has released a statement that makes experts doubt the origin of Starlings vigilante. Apparently there has been an archer tormenting Gotham's criminals before. This man was last seen about four years ago, also in the company of Batman…"

Felicity mutes the TV and takes her glasses off to run a tired hand over her face. She puts her glasses back on and turns to Digg.

"Have you heard from Oliver?"

"Yes, he called today," John answers, his eyes glued to the screen. Officially Oliver Queen has a bad case of the flue that kept him chained to bed, because really Oliver Queen coincidentally spending a few weeks in Gotham and the Arrow shows up at the same time… That might even tip off the slow media and police.

"Well, what did he say? When is he coming back?" Felicity presses.

Diggle shrugs, "He didn't say much. Just that he and Batman are working on something regarding Ra's al Ghul and that he might requires our help at some point."

Felicity nods tightly. She worries about Oliver and it's hardly a comfort that he's working with a stranger she doesn't know.

"Did he tell you how he meet Batman or who he is? Or who the woman is, he left with?"

Digg sighs, "Felicity, we both know how Oliver is. He won't tell me anything more than he has to."

Felicity's mobile rings and with a look on the screen she declines the call.

"Trouble in paradise?" Digg asks pointedly. From where he's standing he was able to identify the caller as Palmer.

Felicity looks up sharply. "No," she defends. "It's just… I can't really explain some things to him. I like Ray, he's a great man. We are partners in all aspects that matter and…"

Diggle nods, "Hey relax, I believe you. I refused one of Lyla's calls just yesterday because I knew her mother was in town and she wanted me to come to dinner with them."

He turns the TV off, "Felicity, can you try and find out who this… robotic man is. I don't like the sound of that and I think when Oliver comes back he'd want to find out. Remember how it was when Sara first turned up."

Felicity shifts uncomfortably. Not for the first time she wonders if she should tell the team about Ray. But she keeps silent still.

* * *

**Tell me what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

** at superfly: Thanks for commenting. Actually you got me there. I'm not really much of an expert on the comic books, sorry. I'm making it up as I go. As for the timing... I'm kind of inspired from both Gotham (of course in a future timeline) and The Dark Knight movies. Also, I do have the story fleshed out, but I like to go over it and change a few details. **

**at Guest: Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Actually I know what you mean, but when I started writing this the episode which explained why Oliver was offered the position wasn't out yet. I tried to adapt a little, but I wanted to keep my story as intact as possible, because otherwise it wouldn't make sense. Thanks for sharing your opinion, though.**

**I don't own Arrow.**

* * *

**Arrow – Gotham Chronicles**

_It reminds him of his time in Hong-Kong. Oliver is dressed all in black, his bow in his hands, the quiver on his back. Only it's not Maseo next to him – it's Cat or rather Catwoman. _

"_Is the costume really necessary?" Oliver asks as they near the entrance._

_Cat shots him a 'are-you-seriously-asking-me-this' look as if he was the one being stupid for not wearing a costume. He's not the one looking ridiculous right now._

_Cat swipes a security guard down the slit at the entrance (Oliver rather not knows how she acquired it) and they step in._

"_Well, that was easy," he comments. _

_Cat snorts. "Yes, thank god the hart part's over," she bits out sarcastically._

"_Where is… whatever it is?" Oliver asks, his bow gripped tightly and his eyes darting around._

"_Basement," is the short answer._

_Of course it's in the basement. It can never be on the first floor. No – it has to be the basement, because all good stories start in a basement. Oliver isn't a fan of basements, he can see the appeal: only one entrance and no windows. But he can also see the problem: only one entrance and no windows. They'd be trapped like rats down there._

_The plan is actually pretty simple, given the high security of the building – then again he doubts anyone else who wants to break in, has got a security card, the security numbers and precise plans of the security system (again Oliver doesn't care how Cat managed to get her hands on that). The human security staff is the biggest unknown. Down in the basement are only two guards, not really a problem. But if they aren't fast or quiet enough and they manage to alert the rest of the guards… well that may not be so pretty. But even if they manage to get past the two guards without a hitch, there's the high security floor, and every move will be recorded, which is why Cat needs to incapacitate them. Only that includes alerting everyone in the building of their presence. Oliver estimates that they have about five minutes after that. _

_Oliver takes out the first guard quietly, there's no need to kill him and so he only knocks him out quietly. When he looks up he finds Cat already has taken care of the other guard. _

"_Ready?" Cat asks. The small device in her hand will cause the disruption of the camera. _

"_As ready as I'll ever be," he grinds out. _

_Cat nods sharply and presses the button, not a second later they run. The floor is spiked with cameras – no way to avoid them the traditional way as they had so far. Oliver falls to his knees next to the code pad and punches in the numbers. _

"_Shit! How do we get through that?" Oliver curses._

_The room is secured with moving laser barriers. Most likely they will lock down the room when triggered. Behind them Oliver can make out something like a lab in the darkness. _

"_You won't I will!" Cat says simply. "I'll only need a minute."_

"_That's all we have," Oliver reminds her. _

_Cat stretches her arms and then she winds herself through the room. She had told him once that she was very flexible – Oliver simply hadn't known to which extent. He lets out a low whistle when Cat reaches the other side with a last jump. Unerring she heads to a fridge on the wall. She takes out the box with the skull on it and puts the test tube in her cat suit where it rests snuggle between her breasts._

"_Seriously?" Oliver shakes his head and concentrates on the corridor. He can hear footsteps rapidly approaching. _

_His draw an arrow and hold his breath. The door crashes open and a second later he feels Cat next to him. They move in synchronised and reach the point where the floor divides in two directions._

_Cat draw air in sharply, the way out is blocked. Oliver lets the first arrow fly and one of the guards goes down. _

"_Get to the elevator!" Oliver orders sharply and Cat turns away from the way out and down the other floor. _

_Oliver lets loose two more arrows and follows after her. _

_The elevator arrived just in time – lucky for them it's empty. From inside Oliver shots twice and two more guards fall._

_Cat grimaces but refrains from commenting – she had wished to avoid bloodshed. _

"_Now what? They'll wait for us at the next stop."_

"_We won't be there," Oliver reassures. _

_He opens the top of the elevator and an arrow shots up with a rope attached to it._

"_You can't be serious!"_

_Oliver grins, "Hold on tight."_

_Neither one can say for sure which floor they end up on but it's up high. Oliver smashes the window in and the next arrow flies to attach itself onto the building next to theirs. _

"_Really, again?" Cat asks, "Did you run out of tricks already?"_

"_What's your plan? Climbing down the building?"_

"_I could actually," she points out smugly but considering their rather tight schedule she agrees with his plan._

**Arrow**

"Are you sure?... No, but it's a high risk, isn't it? …. No, I'm definitely in. Who else are you going to call?"

Felicity strains her ears but can't pick up anything said on the other end of the line. She could hack the call of course, but if she was supposed to hear it then Diggle would have put him on speaker. Besides she was going to pry it out of Diggle anyway.

"… Do you want me to talk to Roy and Laurel?... No, you're right it's better if you ask them yourself…"

Why isn't she included in the enumeration? She tries not to feel offended, but it's hard when he hasn't called her in weeks. She knows he's in contact with Diggle and even Roy, but not even a greeting to her.

"Oliver will be back tomorrow," John informs her but doesn't share any more information with him.

"What else did he say? Why does he need to talk to Roy and Laurel?" Felicity asks immediately.

"Oliver will explain tomorrow, Felicity. How far are you with finding our robot guy?" Digg changes the subject.

"John, don't hold out on me, please."

"It's not my place to tell you, but don't worry, he's fine."

"Well, apparently I'm not needed her at all, since I wasn't included in the list of people who Oliver feels like he has to talk personally to," she answers headedly.

"There's a reason for that Felicity. You know that the team needs you, Oliver made that clear on several occasions," Diggle told her calmly and Felicity deflated.

"It's just… I haven't heard from him in weeks and we are at this weird place in our relationship," she tried to explain. "With Ray being with me, its…"

"It's not easy for him to see you with Ray. Give it some time. He'll get over it."

"Oliver was the one to make the decision to…"

Digg holds up his hand, "Felicity, what happened between you and Oliver was both of your choice. He decided it would be safer not to be with you and you decided not to wait for him."

"What did you expect me to do?"

He casts a surprise look at her, "Nothing, I'm just saying it how I see it."

**Arrow**

_They made it away safely, Oliver allows a relieved sight to escape his lips. _

"_We should call Waller, let her know we have… the thing," Oliver directs the car to the side and stops the engine._

_He searches for his phone, he's sure he left it in the car. _

"_Cat, have you seen my…," he looks up to find the passenger seat empty. "Fuck!"_

_Her form merges with the night and soon enough she can no longer see the car when she turns around. Cat feels somewhat bad for Oliver, he is after all not really a part of ARGUS, he is not part of the plan. But in the end Oliver doesn't change what she has to do. She pulls the test tube from beneath her clothes and hopes she really did destroy everything about the content. _

_This poison is not something anyone should have. When she was first approached with the job she didn't think twice about it. Then someone else approached her and well, Cat doesn't like owning people. So she had to make a risky deal in order to repay her debt. _

_She knocks twice on the wooden door and it opens quickly to reveal a red headed woman. _

"_It worked?!" she asks exited and pulls the burglar cat in._

"_Yes, Ivy, it worked. Obviously since I'm here!" Cat rolls her eyes. And throws the test tube at the red haired beauty._

"_Hey, be careful with that, you have no idea what this does to the environment," Ivy hisses._

"_I thought it was deadly to people?"_

"_It is, but who cares about that. There are better ways to poison people. Ways that don't include killing every living thing that gets infected with it!" Ivy tells her curtly._

"_Great story, Ivy. So you'll destroy it then?"_

"_Yes." _

"_And we're even then. I owe you nothing, Ivy," green eyes meet green eyes and Ivy smiles._

"_You debt is paid, Selena Kyle."_

_Cat doesn't stay for the whole process, when she leaves most of the substance has already dissolved. _

_She needs to lay low for a while, she has agonised some very powerful people – and ARGUS. Maybe it would be better to leave Gotham for a while. Cat feels it before she sees anything. Maybe it's a shift in the air, but she can tell she's in trouble._

"_Where is it?" _

_Cat gulps and turns with a disarming smile. "I was just about to call your boss."_

"_Don't play games, woman! Where is it?" the bulky man spits out and Cat estimates she won't have a problem disarming him._

"_Don't even think about it," another voice tells her from behind. She knows who he is and she'd have a much harder time against him. Both of them are armed, but she can still take them. If she plays her cards right. _

"_Where is it?" the bulky one asks again._

"_I don't have it anymore," she doesn't get further because she's flung back and shoved hard against the brick wall. She curses herself for not feeling the third presence. _

"_Where is it then?" the new voice asks and the knife on her throat draws a drop of blood._

"_He took it from me. The man I did the job with. I don't know where it is! I tried to get it back, for Don Maroni! I swear," she croaks out. _

**Arrow**

"You won't come along?"

"I'm no hero, Oliver," Cat states calmly.

She turned up in his room in Wayne Manor unannounced, almost getting a knife between her eyes when she startled Oliver awake. He's not sure what she wants here exactly but somehow they ended up talking about the upcoming event.

"And you think I am? We both are more of anti-heroes, almost including Bruce."

"Oliver…" she sighs, "I'd undermine the whole operation. It's about heroes versus villains. It's about setting an example, lighting a beacon of hope and sending out a sign. I'm not a part of that. I don't fight for justice, I only ever fight for myself."

"If that were true than you wouldn't have brought me here," he points out.

She shakes her head and Oliver lets the topic go, because Cat won't budge, he knows.

"Did you call your friend? The one running around, dressed in a red onesie?"

"Says the woman in the black onesie."

"It's a cat suit!" she grins.

"And yes, I called him. He's in."

"Mmhh…," it was a sound full of doubt and disapproval.

"What?"

"It's just, I don't know about including The Flash. This is supposed to be a sign and including someone with superpowers… it might send the wrong message."

"The wrong message to whom? First and foremost it's a message for Ra's. The Flash is a good man and a hero. Much more so than I am," Oliver tell her. Cat doesn't look convinced.

* * *

**Tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**at superfly: I'll make sure to do that. Thanks for sharing your opinion. I'm happy to hear you think that Oliver is not out of character. It's hard to tell, because he changed a lot. **

**I don't own Arrow.**

* * *

**Arrow – Gotham Chronicles**

_Funny how a situation where you're strung up to the ceiling by your hands, bare from the waist up and awaiting torture is not the worst situation he's ever been in. _

_Oliver stares down at the brunette woman who is bound to a chair. The words "I'm sorry" haven't left her lips and Oliver is sure they never will. He still has a hard time coming to term with the fact that she betrayed him. And now he's here in the hands of some – Oliver assumes them to be mob – gangsters, most likely about to get killed. He tries his bindings but they are too tight to give him any space to move, they cut into his flesh and draw blood, it runs down his forearms and drop to the floor. _

_Cat seems calm but Oliver can tell from the way her eyes search frantically for a way out that she is anything but. He's not all too clear on the details, what he does know is that she tried to play ARGUS and the mob against each other by promising each of them whatever the hell is in that damned container. At least that what he got from the shreds of conversation he was able to understand. _

_He remembers the car, the cursing and how he got out to look for her. In the end he had to admit defeat. He slid back into the car and hit the steering wheel repeatedly. Then he drove around, still hoping against reason that he'd catch a glimpse of her. Oliver just couldn't believe she'd screw him over – they weren't exactly friends but still. Oliver only saw the head lights when it was almost too late, he cursed and jerked the steering wheel violently but managed to get the car to stop without it flipping over. How hadn't he seen the car coming? _

_Oliver wretched the door open and stormed out of the car. _

"_What the hell where you thinking?"_

_He could tell something was wrong almost immediately. He counted four men all armed that exited the car. Neither one looked particularly shaken or apologetic. _

"_You have made a grave mistake. No one steals from Don Maroni."_

_The name rang a bell but Oliver didn't have time to contemplate any further. He avoids the first fist meant for his face and punches the large man in the stomach while he doubled over Oliver turned and brought the second man off his feet. He wished his bow and arrow but there were stuck inside the car. Then a searing pain of a bullet lodging itself into his right shoulder takes his breath away. A silencer must have been used, because Oliver didn't hear a gunshot. It was clearly not meant to kill him. He produced a knife from inside his sleeve. Two more man fell but in the end Oliver had to give in to blood loss and pain. _

_He was shoved into a van and brought to this place – it looks like an abandoned warehouse or former factory. Cold concrete – dark and dirty. The bullet remains lodged in his shoulder. The blood loss is slowly making him dizzy, but he knows Cat has already been there before him. From the snippets of conversation he heard Oliver has been able to put together that they were mobsters and that Cat had made a deal with them regarding the content of the container. Whether she ever planned to abiding either of the deals she struck, Oliver would never know._

"_Where's the YZD?" _

_Oliver could only assume he was talking about whatever was in that container. _

_The bullet hole in his shoulder burns and Oliver feels the wetness of the blood drip down his back. The man that has spoken looks like an enforcer though he's obviously not Russian Bratva or he would have recognised the tattoo over Oliver's heart. It takes Oliver a second to comprehend that the man is speaking to him. In the dim light he can barely make out his features. Strong build, bulky body, a strong chin and a shaved head is what Oliver can make out._

"_Where's the YZD?" the man repeats and presses down hard on Oliver's shoulder. He yelps in pain but then grinds his teeth hard to stop the scream from making it past his lips. A lessons learned in the Bratva – show as little pain and emotion as you can. He closes his eyes and wills his mind to retreat. This wasn't the first time he endured torture, this wasn't the worst he'd ever been through. _

_He's losing count of the blows that fall on his body, of the shallow cuts that draw pain and blood, of the time spent strung to the ceiling._

"_Won't talk, huh?" Oliver feels more than he sees that the man steps back. "Maybe I'll find a better way to make you talk?"_

_The resounding smack that echoes across the room snaps Oliver's eyes open in time to see Cat fall sideways to the floor dragging the chair with her. She hisses in pain but makes no other move. Oliver briefly wonders why she isn't simply giving up the location because there's no reason for her not to – it was to save her own skin after all, and if there's anything Cat values besides money it's her life. Unless she didn't have it anymore. _

"_She told us you have it, so where is the YZD?"_

_The man yanks her back up by the hair and she hisses again. Oliver realises that her betrayal is greater than he assumed. She told them he had it, so they'd let her go._

_Her lip is sprung and the side of her face has gotten scratched but otherwise she's fine – so far. Oliver knows their plan is to use her against him – he's seen it before, had to do it before and it ripped away a part of his soul that he'll never recover – because they think she's important to him. Tough luck, he thinks dryly and he can see in her eyes that she knows it as well. Maybe it's that resigned look but Oliver decides there's no reason for both of them to die. She's not a good person, but he's a dead man either way, if Waller finds out he's failed the assignment. Maybe that way he can score off Amanda Waller in death._

"_Fine," his voice is hoarse and words feel foreign on his tongue. "I'll tell you where it is, if you let her go."_

_Cat's eyes snap to him and he sees the surprise on her face. _

"_No, you'll tell us, then we'll let her go."_

_Oliver smiles the most intimidating smile he feels able to conjure, "Listen up. I'm the only one who knows where the YZD is, and the only way I'll tell you is if I know she's safe. You can do whatever you want to me or her, but trust me this is child's play for me, I won't talk unless you let her go." _

_The man regards him intently. From the scars that mar his body he can tell, that Oliver isn't lying._

"_What do you propose?" _

"_You let her go and once she's reached a safe distance she'll call here, you give me the phone and once I know she's safe I'll tell you. I warn you not to play any games, we got a code word that lets me know, when she's not really safe and believe me you won't get her not to use it," his eyes are hard and focused entirely on the man in front of him. _

_Cat's stares at Oliver with wide eyes. They both know he has no idea where the container is (the content is destroyed with the formula to make it) and they don't have a code word. She's betrayed him and yet he endures torture for her and allows her to leave while he will surely face death. It's not a gift she won't take but for the first time in a long while her consciousness is pleading its case for someone else._

_The man gives Oliver a curt nod and starts unfastening the bonds that tie his female prisoner. She can take him out, she knows, but he's not alone and the place they are in is bound to be filled with armed guards. She won't make a move to help Oliver and he knows it, still he decided to save her._

_When the lights goe out Cat looks up to see if maybe the bulb has burned out, but that's not it and she can tell her captor knows it. His gun is drawn and Cat tenses. _

_What happens next is mostly a blur of darkness and shadows around her only lightened by the muzzle flashes of the gun. After that it's eerie silent but Cat knows it's him instantly. Oliver groans and she can make out that he's been let down and shifted onto someone's shoulders. Batman – she doesn't think she'll ever be able to forget the atmosphere that encompasses him. But he has only seen the burglar cat, she doubts he knows they're the same person. _

"_Are you alright?" he must have laid Oliver down because his fingers work her bindings and she shivers. His voice is deep and rough – she hates it._

"_Fine," she snips back. _

"_What are your names?" _

_She wants to tell him that it's none of his business but she's supposed to be the shaken victim._

"_His name is Oliver Queen," he's familiar with the name, surprised by the information, she can tell from the seconds in which he freezes up. "I'm Selena Kyle." Her name is safe, because Selena Kyle hasn't existed in so long, it doesn't matter if she uses it. _

_He stops untying her and moves back. The light blinds her for a moment before she lays eyes on his masked figure. "Selena? Cat, of course, you're the burglar cat."_

_She blinks and barely realises that the ropes come loose. There aren't a lot of people who know her real name, even less that know her real name and her chosen name. As a matter of fact she can count them on one hand. There's Ivy, but well, Cat's pretty sure she can eliminate her as Batman. Then there's Detective Gordon, actually Commissioner Gordon, but he's too old to be Batman, there might be someone from her former foster home, but they hardly know her as Cat. Then of course there's that Wayne boy and his butler – she's stayed with them when they still thought she saw who killed his parents… _

"_Bruce…," it's a realisation, that should have been obvious from the start, now that she thinks about it. Batman had taken up his work a while after Bruce Wayne had reappeared and who else had the resources?_

_He's taken Oliver over his shoulder again, Cat doesn't know if he's finally passed out from the blood loss but he doesn't make a noise. She goes after them and comes to stand in front of his… for a lack of better word she calls it a car._

"_Seriously? How discrete," she rolls her eyes as she helps putting Oliver in the backseat._

**Arrow**

"So? What did you want to talk about?" Laurel slides in the seat opposite of him. She picks up the menu and orders a Classic Big Belly Burger.

Oliver smiles tentatively. He's not sure how he and Laurel stand exactly.

"Oliver?" Laurel shakes her head. "Oliver, what is going on? You're back from Gotham for only a few hours and you told me it's urgent. I had to postpone a meeting for this."

"I… We have a plan regarding Ra's al Ghul," Oliver tells her.

"We being you and Batman – and Catwoman I suppose?"

"I need your help," Oliver looks at her seriously and lays down their plan.

"That's risky. It might not work," Laurel leans back and takes a deep breath.

"I know," Oliver admits. "But it could work and that's more than I can say for any other plan I've had so far."

"What does this mean for Malcolm Merlyn?" Laurel asks, cutting to the chase.

Oliver sighs, "Laurel." Her eyes lock with his and Oliver is reminded how determined Laurel can be. "I couldn't let Thea be the one responsible for his death. I couldn't!"

Her eyes soften as he continues. "But he did kill hundreds of people. My mother might have been found not guilty, Merlyn won't be. That's all the revenge I can offer you."

Laurel takes a sip of her drink before she speaks up. Her voice is even, her words chosen carefully. "Remember when I said I couldn't remember I time I loved you."

Oliver flinches and looks away.

"That's not exactly true. But it's hard to find the man that I loved in you," then she lifts the corner of her mouth. "There's not much Ollie, left in Oliver. But I do wonder if that's a bad thing. Because – no offense – my taste in men was terrible. You were such an asshole."

Oliver chuckles darkly, Laurel is really right about that.

"I always thought you'd change for me, but now I see you wouldn't have," she says thoughtfully. "But Oliver, he's not Ollie. I don't agree with you saving Merlyn, I don't think I ever will. Still, I… understand why you did it. If there had been a way for me to restore Sara's innocent, the lightness inside of her, I wouldn't have hesitated a second. You're a good man, Oliver Queen." She rolls her eyes, "But take a page from Ollie's playbook from time to time. Laughing isn't a disease you know."

This elicits a genuine bark from Oliver. He regards Laurel warmly. "Thank you. And thank you for loving me back then, when I was nothing but an idiot. I don't think anyone else would have been able to."

"Well, I always knew you could be better. I hoped I would made you, but…"

"I really wish that had been it," Oliver smiles sadly.

"That makes two of us. But we can't change what happened," Laurel thinks about her father and their destroyed relationship – because of her. "We can only ever move forward and survive."

"He'll forgive you," Oliver comforts her.

Laurel's brown eyes fill with tears, "I'm so scared that he won't."

Oliver grabs her hand over the table and squeezes once. "He will."

She forces her tears down and nods, "I'm in, in case that wasn't clear. And – thanks for including me."

**Arrow**

Diggle rings the doorbell only once before Thea opens the door.

"Oh! Hi Diggle, Oliver's… somewhere in there. I think he might have taken a shower or something. Make yourself at home," her jacket is already on, so clearly she has plans. "Oh, and tell Oliver I'm with Roy."

She whirls out, leaving John to close the door. Diggle stands in the room unsure how to proceed. In the end he shrugs and takes a seat at the kitchen table.

"Diggle!"

Thea had been right, Oliver had been showering. Thankfully he had dressed himself even if it was only sweatpants. Oliver ran a towel to his still damp hair and make his way to the fridge.

"If you're not careful your lack of awareness will kill you," Digg points out.

Oliver grins, "I knew you were here. I heard you talking to Thea at the door."

Diggle chuckles and Oliver hands him a beer.

"What brings you here?"

"Look Oliver, we need to talk," Digg sighs and Oliver looks at him seriously. "I'm not sure it's my place to… I'm not sure I should come with you to…"

"Diggle, what are you talking about?" Oliver interrupts.

"I'm not like you or Roy, I don't wear a costume and I don't'…"

Oliver furrows his brows, "Listen John, I understand if you don't want to confront Ra's with us, if it's because of your family. You're a father now, and your first concern is your family and if you're afraid something will happen to them if you make a stand with us, then I understand. But that's the only reason, because if either one of us deserves to be there, to be called a hero – then that's you. I'd be dead without you, I would have given up without you and I need you, Digg."

Diggle smiles, "I don't know, Oliver."

"The choice is yours, but…" Oliver gets up and comes back not even a minute later with a small rectangular and flat box. "In case you change your mind, I thought you'd need this."

John opens it and holds his breath, "Oliver…"

"I asked Barry, for another one. Don't worry it doesn't come with a costume," Oliver grins.

Digg takes out the simple black mask, similar to Oliver's and regards it intently.

* * *

**Let me know, what you think.**


	7. Chapter 7

**at superfly: YES! How stupid is that? I mean they all make a big deal out of the secret identity (not so secret!) and then they let Diggle wander around without a mask... and no one makes the connection. It really hit me in the Cupid episode. It's just as bad as keeping the same lair, despite everyone knowing where it is... But hey, they upgraded the security system that's... that's... well. Thanks for your support!**

**I don't own Arrow.**

* * *

** Arrow – Gotham Chronicles**

_When Oliver comes to he's meet with a dimly light room and he immediately realises it's not a hospital. He's in a comfortable bed with dark green sheets, the room gives off a darker vibe as well, and dark wood makes up the most part of it. The curtains are drawn so Oliver can't tell what time of day it is._

_He remembers waking up before, it's hasty and fleeting but from what he remembers the house is big and he's on the first floor. There was a man, but Oliver can't focus on a face, it's blurry. _

"_How did you do it?"_

_Oliver blinks and concentrates on the dark blob that appearsnext to his bed. It takes him a minute to accommodate his gaze, Cat stands there and stares down at him. Her face is strangely guarded._

_He tries to speak but his mouth is dry, his lips are chapped but then Cat hands him a glass of water. Oliver gulps it down in one go and splutters, half of it runs down his chin._

"_How did I do what?" he finally asks with a raspy voice._

"_They tortured you. It was… inhuman. Why didn't you break?"_

_He looks at her but doesn't answer. What should he tell her? That it wasn't the worst he's ever experienced? That the pain had become a constant companion that lost its fright a long time ago?_

"_You thought about someone, didn't you? You seemed… it was like you were meditating," Cat looks at him thoughtfully. "Who did you think about?"_

_He doesn't answer still._

"_It was a woman, wasn't it?"_

_A bitter laugh makes it past his lips._

"_The one you talk about sometimes? What was her name, Laura?"_

"_Laurel," then he looks up and the intensity of his eyes would have made a lesser person stumble back. "Sara, Shado, Yao Fei, Slade, my father, my sister… I'm thinking about every person whose life I ruined. Everyone I destroyed or that died because of me and I think that I deserve what I get."_

_Oliver isn't sure what compels him to answer, maybe the pain killers are loosening his tongue. _

_Cat opens her mouth and closes it again. "What about the people whose life you made better?" she asks (because he's impressed her, he proved her wrong, because she always expects the worst from people and it's been a long time since someone showed her differently) and so she wants to know. Wants to know what makes him different._

"_That would be a much shorter list." _

_The room falls silent after that._

"_Where am I?" he finally asks as he tries to sit up and grimaces at the throbbing pain in… well, every cell of his body, really._

"_Oh, you're gonna like that," Cat smiles. "Bruce Wayne. Rings a bell?"_

_Oliver frowns and tries sitting up._

"_You shouldn't do that," Cat advises, but Oliver pushes through the searing pain in his shoulders and brings himself in an upright position. _

"_I think I heard about him. My father and his father used to do business together. His parents were killed, weren't they?"_

_Cat nods once with a faraway look on her face._

"_But what am I doing here?"_

"_Well, we couldn't bring you to a hospital or ARGUS would have taken you, before either of us could have blinked. So I asked him to bring you here. You should thank me for that, it wasn't easy to persuade him."_

"_How did we get out of there?" _

_Cat grins, "Haven't I mentioned? Bruce Wayne is Batman."_

_Speechless Oliver stares at her. _

"_Also, I got something for you," Cat reaches for something laying on the floor next to her and drops his bow and quiver next to him on the bed._

"_Where did you get that?"_

"_I've got a special talent, remember? The police had it, because someone reported a fight, when they got there all that was left was the car. They towed it. I figured the car didn't mean much to you, but these do."_

"_Thank you."_

**Arrow**

She hasn't taken off her mask, Felicity notes. Neither has Batman. Only Oliver has pulled his hood back – still even he leaves the mask on.

"So, how is this going down?" Laurel asks and regards the new vigilantes in the room with a certain amount of suspicion. Felicity can't blame her, she feels the same way. Even she and Roy don their costumes and masks. Diggle seems mostly at ease with the situation and Roy stares at Batman completely starstruck.

"They will see it as a declaration of war," Digg states calmly.

"That is to be assumed," Batman says instead of Oliver.

"How do we get him here?" Roy snaps out of his impressed state.

Catwoman shrugs, "We don't need to have Ra's al Ghul here in person. He'll get the message either way."

"Felicity," Oliver turns to the blonde. "Digg says you've been working on finding the man in the robotic suit. Did you make any progress with that?"

"I…" Felicity hesitates. "Why do we need to find him?"

Oliver shrugs, "We need as many people for this as possible…"

Catwoman snorts and Oliver shoots her a warning glance. She's about to speak up, when it blurts out of Felicity.

"It's Ray!"

Oliver's head snaps up to her, his eyes unreadable.

It's Diggle who finds his voice first, "When did you figure it out?" he sounds suspicious.

Felicity swallows nervously, her chin raises defiantly – she has nothing to feel guilty about, "I helped him."

She deliberately doesn't look in Oliver's direction. But she can feel his gaze on her, can see the disappointment – the betrayal that is etched in his face.

"When where you going to tell me?" he doesn't yell, but his voice isn't calm.

"Ray… that's Ray Palmer, right? The one who stole your company?" Cat asks and her voice is filled with sardonic glee.

"Of course you know the local billionaires," Batman's voice cuts in sharply and Cat's jaw tightens.

"You didn't tell us. You've been working with Palmer on this and you didn't tell me. Only a few days ago I asked you if you knew anything and you lied straight to my face," Digg doesn't even look at her. His face is hard with anger, but his eyes are filled with disappointment, Felicity can tell even from where she's standing.

Oliver's eyes are still on her and Felicity wishes he'd stop.

"Well, thanks for letting us know now," he grinds out, sounding tired she feels like she's about to cry. "I don't think we need his help after all."

He doesn't want this kind of life for Felicity, he wants her to be able to live happy and _normal_. Involving her boyfriend in this mess is that last thing Oliver wants to do, because it's dangerous. If it was up to him, he would do it alone (maybe with Bruce only, so that no one had to face the wrath of Ra's al Ghul) and he wants Felicity as far away from this as possible.

"Why?" there's a challenge in Felicity's tone. "Because suddenly you've decided because he's my boyfriend he's not allowed?"

Oliver takes a deep breath, he's acutely aware of their audience. "Fine, then, we'll ask him."

He can tell Felicity is surprised how fast he gives in, but honestly Oliver is so tired of fighting with her. Always with her, over and over again. He's sick of it.

Catwoman laughs at this, "You can't be serious, Oliver. What has he done to deserve a place amongst you? No – you'll let me speak now. This is a message, a message that heroes band together should the need arise – against Ra's al Ghul. Ray Palmer and his robotic suit are nothing even close to a hero. You know my stance on the Flash but at least he deserves to be here. He's proven his worth. The world knows him. If we include every wannabe hero in this…"

"I never claimed to be a hero," Oliver interrupts sharply. "And _you_ won't even be there."

"That aside, I'm willing to bet the Bloodsworth Diamond that I can take down Ray Palmer with his ridiculous suit in less than thirty seconds – without breaking a sweat."

"I knew you stole that," Batman mutters.

"You've been awfully quite about this," Catwoman turns to him and Oliver sets his eyes to the man dressed in black, as well.

Batman heaves a deep sigh before his dark, deep voice fills the room, "I think Catwoman is right. The Arrow, Batman, Batwoman, Nightwing, Black Canary, Arsenal and The Flash are well known. Whether you call us heroes or not, the people know us, they know what we do and what we stand for. Putting on a mechanic suit and flying over the city means nothing." He pauses and his eyes find Cat's green ones. "But I also think Oliver has a point. We need as many people as we can get. We're a limited number as it is. Perhaps Palmer has not yet earned his place but there's a chance he will."

Cat looks from him to Oliver and then back into Bruce's dark orbs. "Fine, but please note my veto."

A sudden gush of wind makes the papers flutter around them.

"Oh, wow. So, you're real, huh. I mean I knew you were real, but like seeing you here is unreal. I'm Barry Allan by the way. The Flash," the young face grins and pulls up his red mask.

"Oh joy, the guy in the full-body condom," Cat mutters and Roy, who stands next to her desperately, tries not to laugh.

"Batman," Bruce answers him gruffly. Clearly a bit irritated.

"Oh… aren't you gonna tell me your secret identity. I thought that was kind of the thing about being a superhero and all that…," Barry looks around vaguely uncomfortably with pleading eyes at Oliver.

"Superhero? You hear that? That's exactly why we shouldn't have included him. So, what am I in this game then? A super villain?" Cat shakes her head in disgust.

Barry looks at her confused.

"What are you doing here? I told you I'd call, Barry," Oliver asks impatiently.

"I didn't want to miss all the fun of super he… hero bonding," Barry exclaims.

Oliver shakes his head in exasperation, "I'll talk to Palmer. And someone needs to inform the League of Assassin's that their reign is over.

**Arrow**

"_Why the whip?" Oliver asks her one day. _

"_Why the bow and arrow?"_

"_I'm good at it. It takes precision and patience and control and it has… sentimental value. So, why the whip?" _

_Cat looks at him. "I'm good at it. It takes precision and patience and control. It's not as easy to do as it looks, if you're not trained you can't use a whip. So if it gets taken from me, it can't be used against me."_

_Oliver nods, impressed with her line of thinking. "I guess the same goes for archery. But you still carry guns and knives."_

"_Just in case. I like to be prepared."_

_Oliver laughs at that. _

"_If you're done, I'd like to get a move on," Bruce interrupts them harshly. _

_Cat rolls her eyes, she turns to the stairs and as she walks away she says over her shoulder, "Be nice, boys."_

_Bruce grinds his teeth, only this woman was able to get him so on edge. _

"_Have you heard of anything specific tonight?" Oliver asks as they make their way done to the Batcave (not that Oliver would ever call it that – only Cat does, really). _

"_Not yet," Bruce answers as he makes his way over to his costume. _

_Oliver nods. His outfit is expensive and costume-made of dark green leather. Alfred has truly a notch for this. He slips on his hood and darkens the area around his eyes. Masks are impractical, he needs his field of vision clear. Personally Oliver thinks the Batmobile is too noticeable, but he has no right to complain. _

_They have been doing this for some weeks now - patrolling the city. Bruce hadn't wanted to take him at first, so he had shown up unannounced and shot the gun trained at Batman out of the hands of a mugger. After that, Bruce had given up._

"_Armed robbery on…" _

_Bruce turns up the volume and steers the Batmobile towards their destination. The armed robbery turns out to be a hostage situation. A man in a gas station, apparently he had heard the sirens and gotten panicked. _

_They get out a few blocks from it._

"_We should try to get access from the roof," Oliver shares a look with Bruce, who nods curtly._

_They work with an impressive amount of synchrony, Oliver lands on the roof first and pulls the arrow from the ground. They merge with the darkness, then Bruce puts a hand on Oliver's arm._

"_Wait, you should try to get a shot from the other building, Just in case," Bruce lets his gaze sweep over the scene that lays beneath them. The police has called snipers in, but it'll take time for them to get here. _

"_I can't get a clean shot," Oliver points out._

"_And hopefully we won't need one."_

_Oliver tightens his jaw but complies. _

_Turns out they do need the shot. Bruce takes out two of the three men without a problem, but the third one has a hostage pressed to his chest holding a gun to her head. Bruce backs him in a corner, but for a second – and a second only – they pass a window. Oliver releases the arrow and it lodges itself in the man's throat. Faintly he can hear the woman scream in panic when she feels the warm blood running over her shoulder, down her arm. _

_Batman makes it out before the police makes it in. Oliver meets him at the Batmobile._

"_What the hell was that?" Bruce rages and he's at Oliver's throat a second later._

"_What are you talking about?" Oliver pushes him off, equally angry now._

"_You killed him!"_

"_Of course, what else was I supposed to do? Wait until he pulled the trigger?" Oliver gives back heatedly._

"_You could have disarmed him," Bruce clenches his teeth._

"_Not unless I wanted to risk him still pulling the trigger. You told me to wait on the rooftop for a clean shot, so what is the problem?" Oliver bites out each word._

"_I meant, a clean shot to disarm them – not kill them. We are not killers!"_

"_I saved her **life**!"_

* * *

**Let me know what you think!**_  
_


	8. Chapter 8

**superfly: That you liked this chapter so much, comes as a suprise. I wasn't all too happy about it and felt it was kind of boring. So thank you very much! Barry is always the star! He makes every story better, because he's awesome. Hope you're not disappointed with the rest of the story.**

**I don't own Arrow.**

* * *

**Arrow - Gotham Chronicles **

_Oliver's back hits the mattress hard and he groans._

"_I win!" Cat tells him triumphantly. _

"_You cheated," Oliver rubs over his sore spot and gets to his feet._

"_Of course I cheated. I'd never win against you, if I didn't cheat," she tells him like he was missing something obvious._

_Oliver shakes his head and gulps down water from his bottle. _

"_I agree, you wouldn't be able to win, if you didn't cheat," Bruce remarks from his seat. _

"_Then what's the use in fighting fair?" Cat retorts._

_Bruce rolls his eyes, "But then again you are letting her cheat, Oliver. You can't fall for cheap tricks like that."_

_Oliver looks offended, "And you think you could do better?" There's a challenge in his tone._

"_Can you, now?" Cat baits him as well._

"_Fine, you win. I'll spare with you."_

_Bruce gets up and Cat turns to Oliver. She gives him a wink and takes her black tank top off, leaving her in a sport bra. Oliver crushes a laugh. _

"_Isn't that a bit of an obvious move?" Bruce asks with a hint of annoyance._

_About five minutes later his back hits the mattress. She grins down on him, "Well, I'm going to need a shower now." _

_Oliver hands him a towel. "She tricked you," he pointed out smugly._

"_I know," Bruce answers darkly._

_She stops in front of the door and turns around again. "Have you ever considered that maybe I don't cheat? Men's physical strength is superior to women's – in most cases at least. I don't care what a feminist has to say to that. So its fair game if a man overpowers a woman with his physical strength? Those are your rules, rules of a world dominated by men. I use everything I have, just like you. How's that not fair?"_

"_Do you ever think that maybe her view of the world isn't as wrong as it seems?" Oliver wonders into the silence that resonated through the room after the door fell shut behind her._

"_All the time, unfortunately." Bruce grumbles. _

"_But the kiss really was an underhanded method."_

**Arrow**

Felicity monitors the camera so that they are ready at any given moment. The plan is simple really – the confrontation will be broadcasted all over the country. She doesn't even have to hack the broadcasting network, after a call to the news stations there wasn't a single one declining a live airing of the "clash of the century."

She hears everything loud and clear and is ready to alert the news stations as soon as the league appears. Faintly she wonders if the Demon himself will be there, but no doubt he'll hear all about it whether he makes a personal appearance of not.

Her breath hitches in her throat and she forces her breathing to even out. Some part of her wishes she could be with them, but she has a task here. A nervous giggle passes her lips, her eyes stay trained on the screen. She leans slightly forward when she makes out a shadow on the edge of the screen. Oliver comes into view. The chosen battle field is in the outskirts of town. Abandoned and empty for now.

Then another figure appears and the minute Felicity realises what it is she starts the broadcast.

"Have you decided to take Ra's al Ghul's offer?" Maseo asks and pushes the hood from his identical Arrow suit back.

Oliver meets her eyes, "No, I'm here to inform you that I will no longer accept your presence in my town."

Maseo takes a breath, "There's nothing you can do to stop us. Your city will fall unless you become the Demon Head. It has already begun, the city has started to turn against you, all they will need is another push."

"What makes you think I'll allow that to happen?"

Three assassins dressed as The Arrow step up next to Maseo. They circle Oliver, who watches their every move. One of them makes a move to strike down on him with his bow and Oliver deflects the attack. He avoids the bow of a second one by prostrating and bringing his foot out to hit the third of balance. It takes Oliver about two minutes to disarm all three and the second he does more people appear behind Maseo. They aren't dressed in his Arrow suit, but rather in the black of the League of Assassins. Within minutes Oliver is overpowered.

The loud roar of a car makes him smile and stop his attempts at fighting. Only at the last second do they see the Batmobile coming their way, Oliver doesn't move while some of Maseo's men barely manage to jump aside. Oliver stays expressionless even as the Batmobile races towards where he is standing. It comes to an halt only centimetres before him.

The gull-winged door open and Batman gets out. Oliver turns in time to take out one assassin who snuck up on him. Batman jumps over his car and lands between two assassins. They fall to their knees instantly.

"You'd do well, to get out of our cities!" he proclaims darkly.

A red arrow lodges itself before Maseo's feet and Arsenal strolls up with an arrow drawn. At the same time, Nightwing approaches from the other side. Oliver has met him only a few times, enough to know that the man is not to be underestimated despite not being quite on the same level as Oliver or Bruce. Similar to Batman his suit is dark, a blue strip runs across his chest forming the silhouette of a bird and the strip continues down both his muscular arms. He twirls his escrima sticks between his fingers and engages two members of the League in combat.

"So you brought your sidekicks… is that supposed to scare Ra's?" said man's right hand asks, his eyes turn almost pleadingly to Oliver.

A dark shadow appears above them and something similar to a plane or maybe a helicopter appears. Oliver heard Kate Kane refer to it once as 'Batwing'. The wind whirls it creates are strong and Batwoman lands it perfectly in the middle of the assassins. She gets off it with elegance.

"I hope I didn't miss the party?" she smiles and throws a small nylon cord that wraps itself around the upper body of another assassin and makes him fall.

Maseo holds up his arm and for a second all fighting ceases. "What is this? A declaration of war?"

One of the man to his right grunts out in pain and falls to his knees. Laurel steps up behind him. "Yes!"

Maseo's eyes narrow at Oliver and for a second he is stricken with the thought that he might reveal his name – he hopes Felicity will be able to alter the broadcast in case something goes wrong.

Felicity is way ahead of him (as always) for she did indeed prepare for such an occurrence, the live-broadcast is delayed by twenty seconds before it is transferred to the television stations. Just in case something happens – her finger hovers over the key that could disrupts the connection to the news stations.

But Maseo doesn't say anything more, he nods at his men and the fighting continues. A shot rings out and a bow and arrow falls. Diggle shot one of them in the hands as he was about to fire an arrow at Arsenal.

"Thanks, mate!"

Digg nods curtly. An electric blow takes one of the assassins behind John flying and the A.T.O.M. lands carefully next to him. He raises his arm ready to strike again.

"It doesn't matter how many people you gather…," Maseo is interrupted by a gush of wind that steals the breath from her face. The Flash runs circles around them and Ra's men fall to the floor or find themselves rid of their weapons. Finally he stops next to Oliver.

"Finally! I was getting tired of waiting," the grins almost splits his face and Maseo's face drops for a second before it hardens again.

"We are here to let you know only one thing," Oliver says with distain in his voice as he addresses his former friend (his friend still). "If you don't cease your attacks on our cities, we will come for you… all of us."

A flash of surprise hushes over Maseo's face and Oliver likes to imagine there was something close to pride or appreciation in it.

"Tell Ra's al Ghul, if he makes a move against any of us, it's considered a move against all of us," Batman catches his eyes and Maseo's gaze wanders over the battle field.

While the League outnumbers their opponents by far, he can see that this battle is lost. "I shall let the Demon Head know. But trust me, he's not one to be blackmailed."

Oliver exhales secretly, the plan worked. It's over - for now.

Felicity stops the transmission to the networks, she wonders briefly how the world reacted to what they have seen, but makes not move to consult the internet, her eyes stay glued to the screen.

"Well, that was easy," Barry grins widely at the group.

Oliver looks over to where the League stood not too long ago, "It has only just begun."

"It was a very impressive show either way," Cat jumps from where she had waited and lands gracefully near Roy. She wanders slowly towards them, her lips swaying.

"Hey, that's the woman from the wedding," Ray calls out.

Oliver grimaces and hopes he won't make the connection between Oliver and The Arrow.

Cat brushes past Oliver and Bruce, her gaze altering between the other involved parties. "My, what a party."

Bruce shakes his head at her.

"We should head home. I don't think it'll be long before the press or the police are swarming this place," Nightwing points out.

Oliver nods and walks towards his bike. He stops dead in his tracks and turns to Cat.

She jingles his keys, "Yeah, I'm not giving it back."

"Need a ride?" Batman asks from the side.

"Can I drive?"

"Not a chance."

Oliver rolls his eyes and follows Bruce to his Batmobile.

"Wait, we're all just going to go now? We just confronted the League of Assassins and that's it? No, after party, no big reveal about all of our identities, nothing?" Barry asks disappointed.

"What did you expect? A bonding of _super _heroes?" Cat laughs despicable, her eyes roam over him and then over Ray's Atom suit. She scoffs.

"Cat, let it go," Nightwing tells her sharply from the side.

"Are they good friends?" Laurel addresses him, she can tell there's something explosive about this situation and tries to diffuse it. "Batman and The Arrow, I mean?"

"They are alike," Cat answers before Nightwing can even open his mouth. "In different ways, but they understand each other in a way none of you will ever understand."

The "none of you" part seems pretty exclusive to Barry and Ray and Laurel remembers Catwoman's reaction to both of them in the lair. She exchanges a look with Diggle, who looks increasingly uncomfortable.

"Do you have a problem with us?" Ray finally has enough. He's only here because The Arrow asked him to, he didn't ask to be here. Sure he feels flattered to be a part of it, but her attitude annoys him.

"As a matter of fact I do."

"Cat!" Batwoman interrupts from the other side.

"No, I want to hear what she has to say," Barry accedes with Ray.

Batwoman groans but steps back.

"Here's the thing. You think yourselves heroes but you're not. You don't even know what a hero is. You think power makes you a hero or hide behind a mechanic suit, so you're safe and sound. But a hero is not someone who wants to be recognised as such, or does it out of obligation or so he can show off how technical advanced he is," her green eyes are hard and filled with contempt, it clashes with the deliberate softness of her voice.

"Hey, I try to save people, I don't care about being called a hero," Barry tells her angrily. "I stop criminals from hurting innocent people."

"See, that's the difference between you and them. You fight against _villains_, but _they – _Batman and the Arrow – theydon't only fight against others, they fight against themselves every day. Against the darkness within them and every day they wake up knowing it might be the day they lose that fight."

"I know darkness," Ray flashes back to Anna and he gulps down the pain.

"I don't doubt that you've seen it. But you haven't been touched by it, haven't been tainted by it, consumed by it, corrupted by it and lost yourself in it until you didn't know who you were. They have. And this kind of darkness is not something you'll ever rid yourself off. You take it with you, it drains on you, seduces you - every single day. They are heroes because they fight it, they don't give into it. But it drags on them. They've seen the people they love die, not just once but again and again, over and over, knowing it was their fault - that they could've stopped it or changed it, if only they weren't who they are," her tone had gotten softer – more contemplating. "And then the people you love go and take your worst fear, your worst insecurities and use them against you. Telling you that your love is toxic and that they don't want to be love by you, because you're the reason other people suffer. Your love is what makes them suffer and what makes them hurt and that you've been right all along in assuming you're not worth being loved and you shouldn't love, because your love is like poison."

Felicity recoils from the screen. _I don't want to be a woman you love. _The words (the ones she said to him, used to hurt him) swirl in her head and cause a feeling of nausea to rise in her. Is it possible that she knew? That those words are meant for her? Had Cat been there?

"But they get up every day and they keep fighting. And that's why people like you can never hope to be the kind of hero that they arem" her eyes go from Barry to Ray and then she gives them a snide smile before turning away from them.

No one speaks, Barry seems shell-shocked and even the ones not addressed feel the intensity of the words chilling them to the bone.

"And how – how do you know so much about fighting the darkness?" Ray asks when she's almost reached Oliver's bike.

Cat looks back at him over her shoulder and when she speaks her voice is void of all emotions, her eyes look haunted, wistful even."Because I've lost that fight a long time ago."

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**Tell me what you think**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, this is it, this is the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who read the story.  
**

**I don't own Arrow, The Flash, ATOM, Arsenal, Black Canary, Catwoman, Batman or anyone else from DC Comics.**

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**Arrow – Gotham Chronicles**

Oliver finds Barry when he returns to Verdant, he's still in his Arrow suit and the nights almost over. The younger man sits on the stairs in the middle of the empty club staring into space.

"Barry? What are you doing here?" what Oliver means to ask is, why Barry looked like the world just ended, when he's pretty sure Barry absolutely loved every second of it, because it included meeting the 'who-is-who' of vigilantes.

"I just… I just wanted to… I don't know," Barry sighs and Oliver drops down next to him. He leans his bow carefully against the stairs and rids himself of the quiver.

Barry looks to him, "I thought I knew what it meant to be a hero, but I was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, after you and Batman left, Catwoman said some things and…"

"Forget that."

"What?"

"Whatever she said - forget it. Don't listen to her. Cat – Cat's a complicated woman. She's got her own view of justice, he own view of everything. She's twisted, broken even and whatever she said, she was wrong," Oliver can imagine what she may have said, considering their former conversations regarding The Flash.

"It didn't sound wrong," Barry points out.

"Look Barry, Cat has her very own perception of right and wrong and of what makes a hero. That doesn't mean hers is right. She has a way of seeing things that is very…" he searches for a word that isn't 'sick'. "… it's peculiar, narrow. She doesn't trust anyone, not even herself and she doesn't know you."

Barry takes a deep breath but Oliver isn't done.

"There are different kinds of heroes, Barry. I might not see myself as one, but I see you as a hero. I told you before that you are something that I can never be, because you can give people hope. You're not broken or doubting your ability to distinguish between right and wrong. You could use your speed for your own gain, but you don't. You're not driven by vengeance or revenge. You're a hero, don't doubt that."

Two things become clear to Barry then. First, Oliver is right, a hero isn't defined by his past, but by his present and his actions. Second, Cat is right as well, Oliver is fighting his inner demons every day and he should be admired for it. His past broke him, but he mended himself back together. He changed and he keeps changing – for the better every day. He no longer is the killer he once was, he has found a way to leave that behind him (but is still haunted by it). He doesn't always make the right decisions, because his past sticks with him, his trauma still lives within him, but he's trying twice as hard as everyone else every day.

"Thank you, Oliver," Barry says slowly. "For showing me, what a hero looks like."

Oliver smiles tightly.

**Arrow**

"_What the hell was that?" Bruce rips his mask off and flings it across the room. "You tortured him!"_

"_I had no choice, he wasn't going to talk and we didn't know where he hid the bomb. What was your plan?" Oliver asks heatedly and starts washing the grease from his face. This situation had been entirely too close to Hong Kong and he had promised himself to never let something like that happen again. People died because he couldn't do what was necessary. _

"_You can't just torture a man!" Bruce roars. "What distinguishes us from them, is that we don't use the aim to justify our means. If we use their methods we become just like them. Criminals!"_

"_And you would have preferred if he'd blown up half the city?" Oliver screams back at him. He's grateful for what Bruce has done for him. He saved his life and gave him shelter while hiding from ARGUS. But he wasn't his lap-dog. _

"_There are other ways to make someone talk. You don't need to do this," Bruce's eyes flared with anger._

_Oliver laughs dryly, "Because obviously your way is working so well. You stop the little fish, while the mob keeps corrupting the force because they know you won't really do anything to them. You're weak because you don't do what it takes to protect this city. If it wasn't for me, half the city would be mourning the loss of the other one."_

"_Get out!" Bruce's voice is deep and sharp, his eyes blast with fury. _

_Oliver grabs his bow and arrow, he's had enough. They had arguments like this over and over in the months he stayed here. Why can't Bruce understand that he only does what's necessary? Oliver shots Bruce one distasteful look and slams the door. _

_He wanders the town, his only possessions are few enough to fit into a duffle bag. Leaving the safety of Wayne Manor is a mistake, Oliver understands that very well. He could try to reach his family, but Waller had shown him what she was capable of, he wouldn't risk their safety. Maybe he should turn to the military. They had interfered with Waller once after all. Either way he has to disappear for now. _

_It takes Amanda Waller only two days to track him after he left Wayne Manor. He had tried to make his way to Russian, the Bratva might be the dangerous Russian mafia, but they are a brotherhood, his brotherhood and he is their captain. ARGUS gets to him before he even touches Russian ground._

"_So, you're done playing hero with pointy sticks?" Waller eyes him coldly and Oliver knows his usefulness has run out. The interrogation room is kept at a low temperature but Oliver can't find himself to care about getting a cold._

"_I don't assume you've got the YZD?"_

"_I'm afraid not," Oliver answers evenly. "What now? You'll kill me?"_

"_No, Mr. Queen, I won't."_

"_Why not?" he's genuinely interested. "Got another job for me?"_

"_Make no mistake, Mr. Queen. You have failed this assignment and you have betrayed ARGUS. If the choice was up to me, I would kill you."_

_Oliver frowns, "And who choose to let me live?"_

"_Someone forwarded proof that the YZD has been destroyed to the Pentagon and your involvement in the matter. I was outvoted because apparently destroying such a dangerous poison constitutes as a heroic act," Waller spits out. _

_I had to be Cat, Oliver realises. She was the only one who knew what happened to it. But why would she do it?_

"_So, I get to go home?"_

_Waller leans back with a cruel smile, "No, Mr. Queen. It would raise too many questions, if we dropped you off in Starling."_

_A weird sense of bad foreboding seizes his body, "What are you going to do with me then?"_

_The smile is stuck on her face, "We, will return you exactly where we found you. On your own personal purgatory."_

**Arrow**

He descends the stairs to the foundry and finds his team waiting for him.

"Did you get to ride the Batmobile?" is the first thing Roy asks.

Oliver chuckles, "A gentleman never drives and tells."

"Is that code for ' No'?" Cat detaches herself from the shadows of the ceiling and lowers herself elegantly to the floor.

"Wha…?" Felicity jumps up in shock. "Since when have you…?"

"Just returning the bike," she drops the keys in Oliver's hand.

"I have to admit I didn't think I'd ever see it again."

Cat smirks at him.

"This is not over," he says. "Ra's doesn't give up just like that."

She smiles, "This is just the beginning."

"But you won't be there for the end," it's not a question.

"When have I ever been?" Oliver watches as she walks up the stairs.

"I'll be right back," he tells his team and sprints after her.

He finds her in the dark alley, dawn is not too far away and the glow of the sun starts to brighten the dark night.

"Why? Why did you really do all of this?" He calls after her.

Cat turns, she contemplates her answer for a while, "I owed you."

"No you didn't."

"Maybe you don't feel that way but I do. You saved my life – you protected me, after I betrayed you. I didn't think something like that even existed in this world. I betrayed you and you took the fall for me. They tortured you because of me, because of what I did, because I sold you out and you still tried to save me. You knew I wouldn't come back for you. I wouldn't have. Yet you still did it. You've impressed me."

"You saved my life multiple times after that," Oliver reminds her.

"Debt has to be repaid in equal worth. You saved what is most precious to me – my life. But your own life isn't what's most valuable to you, is it?" She chooses the words carefully. "In all the time I've known you, you never put yourself first. You've never picked yourself. Every single decision I've seen you make, you always chose the one you'd suffer most from. The decision that costs you most. Every single time, always."

Cat smiles at him. "You know, you've impressed me. More than that, you have the one quality I'm lacking. I admire you, because you're the most selfless person I have ever met. I know you don't see yourself that way," she hastes to add. "But to me you are. I am the most self-centred person, I never put anyone before myself, but you – you do it over and over again. You keep yourself in despair. And still you've shown me something, and I wanted to repay that favour.

"Tonight I have shown you a part of my world. Saving your life wouldn't have been enough to pay my debt, so I saved your city – and you with it. To show you, that there's a choice that includes you as much as the rest of the world. You never pick yourself, so I did. I choose you, because you never do. You need someone to do that for you, Oliver. Or rather you need to learn to do it for yourself."

"You're a much better person than you think you are," Oliver tells her slowly.

Cat laughs bitterly, "No, no I'm not. Even doing all of this I had an ulterior motive."

"Is it about Br…"

"Yeah, it's always about him. I still can't believe it happened to me. I love him, but…" her eyes have a far-away look. "But he doesn't trust me. Maybe he never will. I knew him once, when we we're kids and… I abused and broke his trust so many times, I don't think I'll ever be able to repair that. Because… Well, you see – Oliver Queen is The Arrow. It's simple as that. You're both at all times and every decision you make, it's Oliver and The Arrow who make it. They are a part of one another. There is not Arrow without Oliver Queen and there's no Oliver Queen without The Arrow.

"It's different for me. I… I've lived as Cat since… since ever, I don't even know who Selena Kyle is. So every time I need to make choice, I never consider what I means for Selena. It's Cat who decides and so I fail at regaining that trust over and over again."

There are no tears in her eyes, just acceptance. "But I keep thinking, that maybe… that if I can manage to make the people he trusts, trust me – that maybe then their trust will someday become his. And he trusts you."

"I stay by what I said before. You're a much better person than you think you are," Oliver looks at her earnestly. "And I trust you."

Cat approaches him, she stops before him and takes a deep breath. "You're wrong, but thank you." Then she turns around.

Oliver is about to make his way back into Verdant when her voice stops him.

"Oh, and I changed my mind."

He turns to see her holding up the keys to his bike.

"I am taking your bike."

"You know I'm no longer a billionaire, right? I cannot afford a new one," he calls to her.

"What about your company?"

"It's Palmer's now, as you very well know."

"Then take it back. If you go at it with all of your Oliver Queen and Arrow attitude and hit them with your charms and good looks… well that little boy won't know what hit him."

Oliver grins as she's speeding off into the approaching new day. She's been so spectaculary wrong about one thing, and at the same time, it's something that sticks with him.

_Oliver Queen is The Arrow_.

_Oliver Queen __**is**__ The Arrow_.

Maybe he should try that sometime.

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**So one last time. Let me know, what you thought!**


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